A new double-blind, placebo-controlled study has found a single dose of the psychedelic drug psilocybin, combined with supportive counseling, leads to significant reduction in depressive symptoms.
“I developed a scientific passion for the topic when investigating the neuro-behavioral and subjective effects of 5-HT2A agonists in my earlier academic career. That passion was further fueled with the current shortcomings in several psychiatric standard of care treatment options and the therapeutic potential of psychedelic molecules like psilocybin,” said study author Robin von Rotz, who conducted the trial as part of his PhD at the University of Zurich.
For the study, 52 participants diagnosed with major depressive disorder were randomly assigned to receive either a single dose of psilocybin or a placebo, along with psychological support. Researchers found evidence that psilocybin-assisted therapy reduced depressive symptoms, with those in the psilocybin group showing a decrease in symptom severity of -13.0 points compared to baseline, a significantly larger reduction than participants in the placebo group. The decrease in symptom severity lasted until at least 14 days. Depression symptom severity was assessed using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale and Beck’s Depression Inventory. Researchers also found psilocybin had a relatively mild adverse event profile, with the most frequently reported adverse effect being a mild headache.
“The main takeaway from this publication is that a single, moderate dose of psilocybin administered in conjunction with psychological support in patients with major depressive disorder is capable of producing rapid alleviation of depressive symptoms,” said von Rotz. “Noteworthy, not all patients responded equally well, which points to the fact that this therapeutic approach should not be treated as a ‘magic bullet’ and considerable research into mode(s) of treatment action is still required to draw a more definite conclusion.”
Psilocybin use as a treatment for depression and other mental health issues continues to grow as research continues to show the efficacy of psilocybin as treatment. A study published by The New England Journal of Medicine showed even synthetic versions of psilocybin are effective in reducing depression scores. Another study conducted by researchers at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University in Australia found that a single dose of psilocybin could make the process of getting an MRI less stressful, with a participant of the study going as far to describe the experience as “magical.”
At the beginning of the year Oregon became the first state to allow adult use of psilocybin mushrooms, allowing anyone aged 21 and over access to psilocybin services in the state. While the state has yet to legalize retail sales, eligible residents are able to consume psilocybin mushrooms under the supervision of s state-certified facilitator. Prospective psilocybin facilitators undergo intensive training to become licensed guides, with many having previous experience working in the mental health field.
Voters in Colorado also recently legalized the use of psilocybin mushrooms after passing Proposition 122 in 2022 with 51 percent of the vote, making Colorado the second state to legalize psilocybin mushrooms after being the first state to legalize cannabis ten years ago.. Colorado residents aged 21 and older will be allowed to grow and share psilocybin mushrooms, and the measure calls for the creation of state-regulated centers where people can make appointments and consume psilocybin. While the measure intends to create supervised settings to consume it does not include an option to begin retail sales, and state-approved centers are set to become available in 2024.
“Colorado voters saw the benefit of regulated access to natural medicines, including psilocybin, so people with PTSD, terminal illness, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues can heal,” co-proponents, Kevin Matthews and Veronica Lightening Horse Perez said in emailed statement Wednesday evening.
